Asylum
by Triangulum
Summary: How do you know your mother killed your father?" Elliot asked. "She's not my mom. She's my step mother. And my aunt." EO
1. Chapter 1

**A/N So I haven't had an L&O story for awhile, been up to other things. So, here's a new one, enjoy! We're saying Elliot and Kathy are divorced, just to make things easier.**

Olivia groaned as her phone rang noisily on her nightstand, jerking her out of the first decent sleep she'd had in weeks. _Sneaky bastard,_ she thought, referring to the Captain. He didn't want to deal with her biting his head off, so he'd charged Elliot with the job of calling her.

"Hey Elliot," she answered blearily.

"Hi Liv. Sorry to wake you up this early, but we got a case," came Elliot's equally tired voice. Olivia sighed.

"Where?"

"I'll pick you up in five minutes," he said and hung up. Olivia groaned, flopping on the bed before yanking herself up in search of clothes. She sighed again, realizing she'd have to wear yesterday's jeans. She blindly pulled on a shirt and jacket. Her phone rang again, signaling her that Elliot had texted her that he had arrived. She gathered her gun and badge, locking her apartment.

"Oh my god, I owe you my life," Olivia said as Elliot handed her a cup of coffee after she settled into the car.

"I know," he answered smiling.

They didn't talk much on the drive. They were both tired and neither one was bothered by the silence. The crime scene was already taped off and guarded by two officers when they arrived.

"Detectives Benson and Stabler," Olivia called as they ducked under the yellow tape. "What do you have for us?"

"21 year old female, raped, beaten and murdered about four hours ago according to the ME. She was wearing pajamas and an ID bracelet, both with the name of a mental hospital, Harrison's Center For The Mentally Ill."

"Does that bracelet have the victim's name on it?" Elliot asked.

"Yes sir, Carrie Andrews. Age, weight, birthday and mental disease. 'Brain injury'," the officer said. They thanked him.

"Let's see whether Warner can give us a specific cause of death," Olivia said.

"Then pay Harrison's Center For The Mentally Ill a little visit."

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"I'm Doctor Franks," the pudgy balding man said, extending his hand. Elliot shook it dutifully before introducing Olivia and himself. "Have you found Carrie?" Dr. Franks asked.

"Yes, we have," Elliot answered.

"Oh thank god," Franks sighed in relief. "Where is she?" He peered around them as if they were hiding her.

"When did you notice she was gone?" Olivia asked.

"She ran out yesterday. Some orderly didn't close her door all the way so she left," Franks said.

"Left while the going was good," Elliot muttered. "You filed a police report?"

"Yes," Dr. Franks answered promptly.

"Do you know anyone who would want to hurt Carrie?" Olivia asked.

"No, no one," Franks said. "But if there was anything, Rebecca would know about it."

"Who's Rebecca?" Elliot asked.

"Something along the lines of Carrie's best friend. Carrie told her everything."

"All right, where is Rebecca now?" Elliot asked. Dr. Franks nodded to an orderly.

"Take the Detectives to Rebecca Reynolds' room," he ordered. He turned back to them. "She's dead isn't she?"

"I'm afraid so," Olivia answered. Franks sighed and motioned for the orderly to take them.

"So what are you thinking?" the orderly asked.

"Nothing yet, we don't know anything about her," Elliot answered.

"What was Carrie being treated for?" Olivia asked.

"Brain injury. She fell at some point, giving her memory problems and paranoia. I guess that's why she and Rebecca got along so well though…"

"Rebecca have the same problem?" Elliot asked.

"No, they were the two most normal here. Neither of them really had a disease per say," he said. "This is Rebecca's room."

"Rebecca Reynolds?" Elliot asked softly, flashing his badge. "I'll Elliot, this is Olivia."

"Cops?" Rebecca asked.

"Yes," Olivia answered. Rebecca was young, no older than 19 by looking at her. Her light brown hair was pulled back into a sleek braid running down her back. Her room was spotless and her appearance impeccable. In short, the exact opposite of what they expected. Her dark blue eyes were sharp and keenly aware, unlike the rest of the patients.

"It's pretty clean in here," Elliot commented, glancing around. "And lots of books."

Rebecca glanced at the bookshelf Elliot has motioned to. She shrugged and gave him a sad smile.

"There's not much to do here. Other than clean and read," she said sadly.

"These are some pretty advanced books, you teaching yourself?" Olivia asked.

"I graduated high school early, when I was 15. They're college textbooks, just getting ready," Rebecca answered. "What can I help you with?"

"Did Carrie like to read?" Olivia asked.

"Carrie likes to complain. Did-did something happen to Carrie?" Rebecca asked.

"She was found murdered this morning," Elliot told her softly. Rebecca closed her eyes and turned away.

"Have you talked to James Denali yet?" Rebecca asked through gritted teeth.

"No, who is he?" Elliot asked.

"He used to work here. He…propositioned Carrie," Rebecca said, turning back to them. Tears were swimming in her dark blue eyes but they weren't spilling over yet. "It freaked Carrie out. She wouldn't report him so I did. It got him fired and it pissed off James. He told her he'd 'get her', but that was like a year ago."

"Thanks Rebecca, I'm sorry we had to tell you this," Elliot said, standing.

"I understand," Rebecca said, nodding. "Will you call me when you catch whoever did this? I'd like to know…"

"You got it," Elliot said. He handed her his card. "If you think of anything else, don't hesitate to call."

"If I think of anything. Goodbye Detectives," Rebecca said as Elliot and Olivia walked out.

"Well, that was strange," Olivia said once they were out of earshot.

"Very strange, if I met that girl on the street, I wouldn't peg her as crazy," Elliot said. "And we know crazies."

"Yeah," Olivia answered.

"Dr. Franks!" Elliot called. "We need any and all files on a James Denali."

"Sure. Do you think he had something to do with this?"

"We're investigating all leads," Elliot said. "I'm curious about Rebecca Reynolds."

"Tragic, isn't it?" Franks mumbled before calling his secretary to find the records.

"What's wrong with her?" Elliot said. Franks looked up.

"Other than maybe a mild case of OCD? Nothing."

"Then why is she here?" Olivia asked shocked.

"Carlotta Reynolds signed her in when she was 15, after her father died," Franks answered.

"For what?" Elliot asked.

"Schizophrenia," Franks answered.

"Is she schizophrenic?" Elliot asked.

"No, quite the opposite. I'd say she's probably healthier than some of my employees. But every time we call Carlotta, she refuses to let Rebecca out. She says Rebecca threatens her with suicide or various other stories. We can't release her because she's actually only 16, she's a minor."

"That's pathetic," Elliot said, disgusted.

"Yes," Dr. Franks said, pressing James Denali's folder into Elliot's hands. "But that's the law."

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"Hey Liv! We got a match on the fingerprints off the bracelet your victim was wearing. Does the name James Denali mean anything to you?" Fin handed to address to Olivia.

"It's our sexually deviant ex-orderly," Olivia said.

"Let's go pick him up.

Two hours later, James Denali sat quivering in the interrogation room. He was average sized with dark features and a jittery disposition. The Captain watched while Elliot and Olivia got a full confession out of him in 7.26 minutes. He smiled, glad he had Elliot and Olivia working together.

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Rebecca had weighed on Elliot's mind for the next few days, so he decided to drop by the institution, carting with him a bunch of Maureen's old textbooks.

"Hey Rebecca, do you remember me?" Elliot asked. Rebecca rolled her eyes, smiling slightly.

"Yeah Detective," she said.

"Elliot," he corrected. He picked up the overflowing bag of textbooks and handed them to her. Rebecca's bored eyes snapped to excitement as she rifled through them.

"Are these for me?" she asked, shocked. "These are amazing!"

"I thought you might like that," Elliot said. "I came to tell you also…that Carrie's killer and rapist was caught." Rebecca's eyes snapped up.

"Rapist?" she asked. Elliot silently cursed himself. He hadn't told her that the day before.

"I'm a detective with Special Victims, do you know what that means?" he asked.

"Sex crimes," Rebecca answered promptly. Elliot raised his eyebrows. "I read a lot. Like I said, there isn't much to do here."

"It was James Denali," Elliot said. Rebecca hung her head sadly.

"Oh, Carrie…"

"We'll need you to testify about what happened," Elliot told her. Rebecca laughed harshly.

"How well will the testimony of a teenager in a mental institution hold up?" she asked darkly.

"Rebecca, you and I, and hell, Dr. Franks, all know that you don't belong here," Elliot said. Rebecca gazed at him sadly.

"Doesn't matter though, does it?" she asked.

"Why did your mother put you here?" Elliot asked. Rebecca's head snapped up.

"She's not my mother," Rebecca said. "She's my step mom. And my aunt." Rebecca stood and walked to the window, staring out disgusted. "After my mom died, my dad was stupid and married her sister. When he was murdered, she stuck me here."

"Your father was murdered?" Elliot asked, sympathy growing for the 16 year old.

"It was ruled a suicide," she said angrily. "But he did not kill himself.

"Who do you think killed him then?" Elliot asked.

"I know who killed it. It was my step mom, Carlotta."


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N I missed Elliot and Olivia, so here we go. For those of you reading Unidentified Assailant, it will hopefully be updated tomorrow, don't worry.**

"Your step mother murdered your father? How do you know?" Elliot asked.

"I saw her. I told the cops but they decided I was crazy and hysterical. Carlotta thought that was great and pushed everyone to think that I was hallucinating, making malicious trouble for a step mother I didn't like. The cops agreed and helped shove me in here. For my 'own protection'," Rebecca spat.

"Why are you telling me this now? Why not when my partner and I first arrived?" Elliot asked. She looked at him defiantly.

"I didn't know if I could trust you," she said. "You understand that the last cops I talked to chucked me in the loony bin."

"Do you trust me now?" Elliot asked.

"Yes."

"Why?"

"Because you did what you said you would."

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Two hours later, Elliot and Olivia found themselves in Casey's office.

"She's not crazy, Casey," Elliot told her.

"Then why is she in a mental health facility?" Casey countered.

"Because the whack job step mom put her there, after she killed Rebecca's father!" Elliot snapped.

"We can't prove that," Casey said.

"Get me a search warrant, we'll find your proof," Elliot promised.

"I can't get you a warrant without probable cause."

"She saw Carlotta kill her father!" Olivia exclaimed. "How much more proof do you need?"

"Her step mother will never let her testify," Elliot muttered. "She'll claim moving Rebecca out of psychiatric care would be too dangerous for her."

"Then the first step is to remove Rebecca from Carlotta's guardianship," Casey said.

"How?" asked Olivia.

"We can probably swing it if we can prove Carlotta entered Rebecca into a mental hospital under false pretenses," Casey mused.

"Sworn statements from her doctors that she isn't mentally ill?" Elliot asked.

"Yes, and you probably should get Huang to check her out, too," Casey said. "Adds credibility."

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"Hi Rebecca," Huang said, sitting across from her in her small room. "My name's Dr. Huang."

"Hi," Rebecca said. "No offense, but why are you here? It's not like there aren't a lot of other therapists here."

"To talk to you," Huang said.

"You want to know if I'm crazy, too?" she asked sardonically. Huang gave her a half smile.

"Something like that. I work with Detectives Benson and Stabler," he said. Rebecca sat up slightly straighter.

"Are they going to arrest my step mom?" she asked.

"They're going to try," Huang said. He paused, unsure, before telling her, "They're trying to get you out of here." A pained look crossed Rebecca's face. "What?" Huang asked.

"I'd rather it if you hadn't told me that."

"Why?"

"Because I've been hoping to get out for the last year and a half. It's just easier not to get my hopes up," Rebecca said wearily.

While Huang talked to Rebecca, Elliot and Olivia spoke with Dr. Franks.

"Are you willing to swear in court that Rebecca Reynolds does not need to be in a mental health care facility?" Olivia asked.

"Yes, definitely," Franks answered. "We could use the room for someone who is actually in need of care."

"Thank you," Elliot said, turning to Olivia. "What do you say we go pay Carlotta a little visit?"

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"Carlotta Reynolds?" Olivia asked.

"Carlotta Daniels," Carlotta corrected. "I changed it back after my husband died. It was just too hard." Carlotta was Rebecca's polar opposite. Her grey eyes were jammed above her strong cheekbones and her entire face screamed of Botox and bad plastic surgery.

"I'm Detective Stabler, this is my partner, Detective Benson," Elliot started. Carlotta's face turned haughty.

"So. You're the bastards trying to take my daughter away from me," Carlotta spat.

"Technically she isn't your daughter Ms. Daniels. She's your niece," Olivia said.

"She's the only family I have!"

"Really, so when was the last time you visited her?" Elliot asked. Carlotta didn't answer. "Let's try again," Elliot said. "Why did you stick her in the nut house?"

"Leave now!" Carlotta yelled, slamming the door in their faces.

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"Well, what do you think?" Olivia asked Huang back at the precinct.

"Rebecca's amazingly bright, nearly genius IQ. She's mildly depressed from her father's death, and from having nothing to do with all her intelligence and curiosity, but it's not anything to be institutionalized for. She just needs to be in a happy and healthy environment where she can grieve and heal, and expand her enormous potential. And the institution isn't helping." Huang said. "She's perfectly healthy, intelligent and has no reason to be locked up. It's pathetic that the mental health care system is being used like this." Elliot and Olivia exchanged a glance at the passion of Huang's words; they had never seen him this angry before.

"You'll say all this in court?" Elliot verified.

"Absolutely."

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After witness testimony, Carlotta Daniels' lawyers were flustered and embarrassed. To say the least.

"Rebecca Reynolds is a minor! Who would take care of her? It's only a few months until she is 18 at which point she will be a legal adult and can leave. Why waste the time?" one lawyer tried halfheartedly.

"It's not about what's easy. It's about what's legal," the judge said. "I order Rebecca Reynolds to be released from psychiatric care, seeing as there is no reason to keep her there. Ms. Daniels, if I was an ADA I'd bring you up on charges and make them stick. Be grateful that this is all that happened."

"Yet," Elliot muttered to Olivia in their seats.

"So, Rebecca Reynolds will be put in a group home until more suitable-"

"Excuse me, Your Honor. Detective Elliot Stabler, Special Victims Unit. I'm already registered as a foster parent and I'd like to arrange for Rebecca to stay with me," Elliot interrupted. Olivia looked up at him, shocked. Elliot had recently divorced Kathy, finally having enough of her bullshit. Olivia knew Elliot was having issues being lonely, but it shocked her that he has become a foster parent. Especially without telling her.

"Clear it with CPS and I see no problems," the judge shrugged.

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"I know it's not much," Elliot said, leading Rebecca to the spare room of his new apartment, but Rebecca was grinning from ear to ear.

"Are you kidding me, this is amazing!" Rebecca scanned the room. It was small and clean, a twin bed in one corner and a desk in the other. Rebecca ran her fingers over the sheets, her smile growing. "They're soft!"

"Yeah," Elliot said, laughing.

"So," Rebecca said, jumping onto the bed, pulling her legs under her. "What now?"

"Well," Elliot said, sitting on the desk. "We'll need you to testify so that we have probably cause for a search warrant." Rebecca nodded.

"And then?" she asked. Elliot sighed.

"Then we build our case and make sure it will stick."

"And if you can't?"

"Rebecca, I promise you, I will do everything in my power to get Carlotta," Elliot swore.

"I believe you," Rebecca answered. They both jumped when a knock on the front door echoed through Elliot's apartment. Elliot and Rebecca pulled themselves off of their respected perches and ventured to the door. Olivia smiled, duffle bag slung over her shoulder as Elliot pulled open the door.

"Hey Liv," Elliot said, moving aside so that she would walk in.

"Hey El," she answered and turned to Rebecca. "Hi Rebecca. I brought you some clothes. I was your size at one point so I've got some extras." She pulled the bag off of her shoulder and passed it to Rebecca. Rebecca was grinning as if it was the only gift she'd ever gotten. It was probably the first thing anyone had given her since her dad died Elliot reminded himself.

"I'm going to go try them on!" Rebecca said and bounded from the room. Elliot walked into the kitchen, reappearing a second later with two bottles of water. He tossed one of them to Olivia then plopped onto the couch. Olivia folded herself more gracefully into her seat.

"This is great, El," she said, referring to Rebecca. "Really, I don't know how well she would have done without you."

"She's strong, she would have made it," Elliot assured her. Olivia shrugged.

"I still prefer this way. But El…" she struggled to find the words. "I'm worried about you…if you were that only you could have called me more…I don't know if it's the divorce, or-"

"Liv," Elliot interrupted, smiling. "I'm fine and I promise you'll be the first to know if I'm suddenly…not fine." Olivia saluted him with her water bottle. Elliot slowly reached over and rested his hand on her knee.

"I have everything I need," he said. Rebecca cleared her throat loudly from the door, causing Elliot and Olivia to turn. Olivia's old jeans were a little big on Rebecca's slightly malnourished frame, but the royal blue shirt fit perfectly. She turned around, her long light brown hair draping loose down her back. The shirt was the color of dark Caribbean waters, the exact color of Rebecca's eyes. Olivia smiled, standing.

"Rebecca, you look great!" Olivia exclaimed. Rebecca smiled, hands in her pockets. She came over and tucked the tag in on the back of Rebecca's shirt. Rebecca paused then threw her arms around Olivia's neck. Olivia hugged Rebecca back, before turning to leave.

"Well, I'd better get going," Olivia said. "I hope you like the clothes."

"I do, thank you!" Rebecca said fervently.

"You're more than welcome," Olivia answered. "I'll see you tomorrow, El."

Elliot's eyes followed Olivia until the door shut. He turned to find Rebecca looking at him.

"Olivia's great," she said smiling.

"Yeah, she is," Elliot agreed.

"Sooo…" Rebecca said coyly. "Should I be expecting any foster siblings outta you two sometime soon?"

Elliot choked on his mouthful of water.

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Carlotta's piercing grey eyes bored into the face of her companion. Her haughty face and bleach blonde hair trembled with rage.

"You told me this would never happen," Carlotta snapped. Her companion's eyes narrowed.

"I never said that this was permanent," the man said. "Your step daughter saw something she shouldn't have. Killing her so close to your husband's 'suicide' would have been suspicious."

"So you said to lock her up!" Carlotta burst out.

"Only until she was of legal age! You knew a different solution would be needed soon. Don't tell me you haven't thought about it until now?" the man asked. Carlotta flushed. "Brilliant," he muttered. "Well now at least you're motivated. Nothing puts a kink in a rich lady's panties like a murder conviction." He stood, brushing imaginary lint off of his jacket.

"What should I do then?" Carlotta asked. The man rolled his eyes.

"For Gods' sake, use your imagination."


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N I know it's been about a month and I apologize, stuff came up.**

"I sucked," Rebecca said miserably as she and Elliot walked out of the courthouse.

"That's not true," he countered.

"Yes, it is. He confused me and I messed up. If they don't get the warrant it'll be because of me and she'll get away with killing my dad!"

"Shh," Elliot said, pulling Rebecca in for a hug. She closed her eyes and balled her fists into the material of Elliot's shirt. He put a hand at the back of her neck in an effort to still her crying.

"This is not your fault, the judge just needs time to decide if a warrant is necessary. You did nothing wrong, we'll get the ruling soon." Elliot hated seeing such a strong girl doubt herself when she was in fact the person who had been wronged.

"Hey," he said in an obvious attempt to lighten her mood. "Why don't we grab something to eat? There's a little Chinese place around the corner. Olivia and I go there when we're waiting. They know us pretty well, you up for it?"

"Will Olivia be there?" Rebecca asked, wiping her red eyes.

"I'm sure she'd come if you gave her a call," Elliot said, tossing her his phone. She smiled and hit send.

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"I'm glad you called," Olivia told Rebecca as they all dug into the huge plate of chow mein in front of them. "I was thinking about you."

"Really?" Rebecca asked. "Why?"

"Because I hoped you were ok," Olivia said. She had to keep reminding herself that since Rebecca's dad's death, she hadn't been used to people explicitly caring about her.

"So is there a nickname you like?" Olivia asked. "Becca maybe?"

"Becca…" Rebecca mused. "My dad used to call me Becca." Her voice was so soft that they almost didn't hear her. Olivia opened her mouth to apologize but Rebecca spoke first. "You can call me Becca," she said, smiling at both of them. Elliot and Olivia glanced at each other before turning to Rebecca, grinning.

Elliot's phone buzzed on the table, stilling everyone. Rebecca stared at it as Elliot picked it up.

"Yes?" he asked. "Right, thanks." Elliot turned to Olivia and Rebecca, who was staring intently at her own hands. "We got it."

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"You can't do this!" Carlotta screamed, her face fighting through the botox to contort in rage.

"Really," Elliot said, never looking up from the box he was rifling through. Rebecca told them where to look, she remembered where everything was from when she used to live in the same house with her dad and Carlotta.

"Well, well," Elliot said, pulling a derringer from the box. "What do we have here?"

"My husband was stabbed, not shot," Carlotta said coldly. Elliot dangled the gun higher.

"Do you have this registered?" he asked. Carlotta glared and sat on her overstuffed couch huffily. Elliot leaned over her and said in his best dangerous voice, "We are going to put you away, just like you did to her. Only I'm going to make it stick."

"You can't prove anything," Carlotta hissed back.

"Maybe not yet," Elliot said, straightening up. "But for now, I'm arresting you for this." He gestured to the gun. "Officers, arrest Miss Daniels."

"Fucker!"

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"Rebecca?" Elliot called, walking in his front door. "Rebecca, are you here?"

"I'm in the kitchen!" she called back. Elliot wove his way to the kitchen and forced back a loud laugh. Rebecca was standing next to the sink, wearing a bright yellow shirt and a hat with a little propeller on top, embellished with "Hot Dog Heaven".

"Do I want to know?" he asked. Rebecca smiled broadly.

"I got a job," she said proudly. "That's…ok, isn't it?" she asked uncertainly.

"It's great," Elliot assured her. Rebecca beamed.

"I figured I already have my high school diploma, I should start working on paying my rent."

"Rebecca, I will be offended if you try to pay rent, so don't even start," Elliot scolded. Rebecca smiled and shrugged.

"Whatever."

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Over the next few days, Elliot and Rebecca fell into a vague routine. Elliot would leave money on the counter for Rebecca to take the bus before he went to work, then they would eat dinner while watching a movie after they both got home. Elliot noticed Rebecca slowly starting to relax and smile more. The news of Carlotta's arrest on the weapons charge had eased Rebecca's mind a little. It also helped that the paperwork got a little 'lost'.

Elliot walked into the precinct a few days later to see Olivia hang up the phone angrily. She looked up when she felt him come in.

"Elliot!" she said, standing. "She's out, Carlotta Daniels is out."

"What, when?" he asked.

"Last night, some man came and posted her bail. The only reason she couldn't post it herself is her insurance company won't pay on her husband's policy until we tell them she didn't kill him," Olivia said. "The man said he was her brother Jackson, but I checked. Jackson Daniels died 11 years ago." Elliot rubbed his temples.

"All right, where is she now?"

"She's at her home, we have someone following her," Olivia said annoyed.

"All right, we have to go get Rebecca, she's at work," Elliot said. "If Carlotta's out, she might go for Rebecca. I don't even know how the judge gave her bail in the first place," Elliot muttered as he and Olivia left.

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Rebecca stood behind the counter, cheerily taking lunch hot dog orders.

"Welcome to Hot Dog Heaven, what can I get started for you?" she asked. She smile faltered as she stared into the dead eyes of the customer in front of her. She tried again, "Can I help you?"

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Olivia and Elliot drove as fast as possible to Hot Dog Heaven. They didn't even waste time with small talk. The only sound was Elliot's curse every few seconds as he managed to hit every red light on the way. Olivia flipped open her phone when Fin called.

"Hey Fin," she said. "What's up?"

"Live! We just got a call in, shots fired at Hot Dog Heaven!" Olivia closed the phone quickly.

"Shots fired El, go!"

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Barely two minutes later, their car pulled up in front of Hot Dog Heaven. There was already yelled tape surrounding the small building. Five police cars were parked haphazardly around the restaurant. Elliot and Olivia flashed their badges as they ducked under the tape.

"Detectives Benson and Stabler, what happen?" Olivia asked.

"Man came in with a gun and tried to shoot up the place. A brave worker managed to get the gun away from him before he could kill anyone," the officer answered. He pointed in the direction of the group crowded by an ambulance.

"Rebecca?" Elliot yelled, trying to find her through the crowd. "Rebecca!"

"El! There!" Olivia yelled. He followed her finger until he saw Rebecca, rubbing a co-worker's back. She looked up at him and the haunted look was back in her eyes.

"He came for me, didn't he?"

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The man and Carlotta sat at a small table, in a little coffee shop. He put his hand over his eyes, taking deep breaths. Carlotta sat haughtily across from him, very good at being useless. He finally moved his up to look at her. When he spoke, his voice was tired.

"When I said 'use your imagination', I meant be creative," he said. Carlotta scowled.

"I-"

"You were pathetic," he interrupted. "And it looks like I'm going to have to clean up your mess."


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N So my muse has been on a hiatus for a few months, I just haven't been able to come up with anything for awhile. If any of you have any inspiration tips, I'm happy to hear 'em. **

Rebecca sat at Elliot's desk, idly playing solitaire. She and her coworkers had all been brought in for questioning about what had happened. They'd all left minutes ago, quietly having hysterics with their families. Elliot and Olivia were in the captain's office, discussing what the next move was. Fin and Munch kept a wary eye on Rebecca, checking for signs of a mental breakdown. She hadn't had one yet, but with the amount of stress that just kept piling up in her life, no one would be surprised if she decided to take a break from reality. So far though, Rebecca had kept up the same brave face she'd had since day one.

Unfortunately, the haunted look that she'd come with was back. Elliot and Olivia had managed to chase away that look in their time with her, but the attempt on her life had brought it back with a vengeance. She put on her blank face, refusing to let anything in. Fin and Munch exchanged a look, unsure of what to do. Luckily, they didn't have to do anything, because Elliot and Olivia came out of the Captain's office a second later.

"Hey," Elliot said, dragging a chair up to sit next to Rebecca. She turned those hollow eyes onto him and it took him a second to recover, shocked at the difference in her. When he didn't say anything, she went back to her game of solitaire. Elliot looked across his desk at Olivia, whose shocked expression mirrored his own.

"What now?" Rebecca asked, not looking at him.

"Well," Elliot started. "They're going over the crime scene, seeing if they can get anything good out of it."

"We all know who actually did it," Rebecca muttered.

"Well…"Elliot said. "Hey will you look at me?" Rebecca turned to him. "We will get the person that did this. We'll pull through, yes?"

"If you say so," Rebecca said, turning back. Elliot ran a hand through his shortly cropped hair, looking at Olivia. She shrugged.

"Come on," Elliot said. "Let's go home."

Rebecca stood, gathering her bag from next to Elliot's computer. "You sure that's a good idea?" she asked. "I'm kind of a free-fire zone at the moment, bringing me to your home isn't exactly the best idea."

"Rebecca!" Elliot said sternly. "If anyone comes for you there, I will personally take them out. You don't have to worry."

"I don't want you getting hurt because my step mother is a murdering psycho," Rebecca said. "Maybe I should just go."

"Go where?" Elliot asked.

"Anywhere, away, away from New York," she said.

"She's trying to drive you out," Olivia said. "If you disappear, there's a huge hole in the case against her. We can see what the crime scene guys come up with and if any of it links directly to Carlotta, we can arrest her."

"So she can make bail again?" Rebecca said.

"Speaking of that," Fin said. "We found out who was trying to pass himself off as Jackson Daniels, Carlotta's brother, to get her out of prison."

"Who?" Elliot asked.

"His name, well, his newest name, is Andre Nicolai. He did leg work for various crime organizations. Recently, he has been on a few radars for international crime. I'll be surprised if we don't get a call from Homeland Security or something along those lines soon," Munch said.

"So my step mother is completely mixed up with a crazy ex mobster? That's great, just great," Rebecca muttered.

"Where is he now?" Olivia asked.

"Well the address he gave us would make him a live-in at a movie theater, so I have no idea where he actually would be," Fin said.

"Fabulous," Rebecca said. She grabbed her bag and walked out of the precinct, followed by Elliot.

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Elliot sat on his couch, thinking furiously. There had to have been something they missed, some little detail? Something, somewhere…the answer was somewhere they just needed to find it. As soon as Rebecca and Elliot had reached his apartment, Rebecca had made a beeline for her room. She put in headphones and said no whenever Elliot asked if she wanted anything. Talk? No. Food? No. Anything? Really, really no.

Elliot groaned as he heard a knock on the door, realizing he had fallen asleep. He pulled himself up into a sitting position. He walked to the door and glanced through the peephole, seeing Olivia. He opened the door.

"Hey, Liv," he said, opening the door.

"Hey," she said, walking in. "How's Rebecca?"

"She's in her room, she doesn't feel like talking," he muttered, rubbing his eyes.

"Mind if I try to talk to her?" Olivia asked.

"Be my guest," Elliot said. "She doesn't want to talk to me."

Olivia ran her hands through her hair, wondering what to say. She was golden with victims. Teenage girls were different. How was she going to convince Rebecca everything was ok when it obviously wasn't?

"Elliot!" Olivia screamed, running back to the living room. Elliot jumped to his feet. "El, she's gone, Rebecca's not in her room."

"Are you sure?" he asked, running to check.

"Of course I'm sure! I'd be a pretty sorry excuse for a detective if I wasn't!" Olivia shot back. "There's almost nothing in her drawers, she probably packed a bag and left while you were asleep."

"Ok," Elliot said, coming back into the room. "You take your car, I'll take mine, canvas the streets for her. I'll call Munch and Fin and have them put out a bolo for her. We just have to hope we find her before her step mom's or Nicolai's people find her."

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Rebecca walked down alleys, grey sweatshirt's hood pulled over her face. It was drizzling, giving the effect of fog. She had a backpack pulled over her left shoulder, keeping her right hand free. She had a folding knife in the sweatshirt's pocket, something she had taken from Elliot's room before she left. Just in case, this was the city after all.

She felt vaguely bad about just abandoning Elliot. He had been the one that saved her. But now she was just returning the favor. She decided she needed to protect Elliot and Olivia. In order to do that, she had to keep crazy step mothers and fake Russian assassins away from them. She jumped at the sound of a homeless woman rearranging herself a few feet away. Rebecca shook her head and kept walking. Wisconsin sounded good. Yep, nothing happened in Wisconsin. If she went there, Carlotta would probably get bored looking for her. Plus, Carlotta hates Wisconsin.

She was about to get on the bus to the train station, when a hand on her shoulder stopped her.

"Rebecca, isn't it?" a deep voice asked.

"I..uhm…" Rebecca stuttered.

"Answer enough," the man hissed. Rebecca reached into her pocket and pulled out the knife. She didn't know much about knives, which generally wasn't smart in a knife fight, but from two inches away it didn't matter much. Rebecca shoved the knife into the man's stomach. He yelled, dropping his hand away from her shoulder. She ran down the street, full speed, with the limping and bleeding man behind her.


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N Is anyone reading this? Reviews are appreciated.**

Rebecca was shaking as she walked into the homeless shelter. She had the knife in her pocket, her hand clasped around the handle just in case. There was still her assailant's blood all over the blade. She was considering going to a police station to report what had happened, but knew Elliot would be called and she would be placed back in his care. She had just finished leaving so she wouldn't endanger her, and the attack had just confirmed that it was the right thing to do. Plus…she couldn't stand to see the look of disappointment and betrayal on his face if she saw him again.

_It's for the best,_ she reminded herself for the hundredth time. But she couldn't imagine how angry Elliot and Olivia must be with her.

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"Any word?" Elliot asked, running into the squad room.

"No," Fin said. "We've canvassed hospitals and trauma centers just in case, but no one has seen her. Nothing on Nicolai either. Carlotta Reynolds is at home, politely telling us that she has no idea where her step daughter is and that maybe we should have taken better care of her in the first place."

Elliot and Olivia had spent an hour roaming the streets, searching for her. They had come across a few drug deals and a rather violent pimp, but no Rebecca. Elliot sat at his desk, head in his hands.

"We could bring Carlotta in again for questioning," Olivia suggest halfheartedly, plopping heavily into her chair.

"Well her lawyer will probably not let her in," Fin said.

"Well we could arrest her…"

"For what?"

"HOMELESS SHELTERS!" Munch suddenly yelled, jumping up.

"We…what?" Elliot asked.

"Homeless shelters, we didn't check homeless shelters! She wouldn't have enough money for a hotel, or even a sleazy motel. She'd go to a homeless shelter!" he yelled.

"Liv, you and I will take the ones closest to my apartment, you guys figure out the rest!" Elliot said, running out, Olivia on his heels.

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"Excuse me, miss?" a sweet voice entered Rebecca's consciousness. She had drifted off to sleep at one am, so she was still a little disoriented, but she realized it was Mrs. O'Dea ,the woman who ran the homeless shelter. She leaned over. "Rebecca, right?"

Rebecca looked up, confused. "Is something wrong?" she asked. "Am I getting kicked out?" Then she looked past Mrs. O'Dea's shoulder. There were two uniformed officers behind her. "Did I do something?"

"No, no dear!" Mrs. O'Dea said. "They came by showing your picture, saying you were in danger. I said 'Why yes, she is here,' and led them right back here."

"Rebecca, please come with us," the taller officer said. Rebecca sighed, and stood up. She should have known getting away from Elliot wouldn't be that easy.

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"Rebecca!" Elliot yelled, running into the precinct. The two cops had brought her back to the SVU precinct and called Elliot. Rebecca, watched by Fin and Munch, had been unable to run out before Elliot and Olivia came back. Rebecca moaned.

"Rebecca why did you just run out? What's the matter with you, you could have been killed!" he yelled.

"Nearly was," Rebecca muttered.

"What?" Olivia asked. Rebecca told them what happened and how she ran.

"That's why I had to go!" she said. "I don't want to be around either one of you while I'm a free-fire zone! It'll be better if I just go away where no one can find me."

"Rebecca," Elliot said quietly and knelt in front of her. "Rebecca, Olivia and I are completely committed to keeping you safe. It's not the other way around. This is our job too, not just our desire. We will get Carlotta and we will put her behind bars."

"And her fake Russian guy, Nicolai?" Rebecca asked.

"Him, too."

"From what we're dug up on him, he's just in it for the money," Fin said.

"What do you mean?" Rebecca asked.

"We checked out some of his past…friends…" Munch said. "He pretty much is a guy who helps kill people so he can get insurance money, so he can get paid, etc."

"Great. Assassins for a 16 year old girl. Fucking beautiful," Rebecca said. "Here." Rebecca tossed the wrapped up knife onto the desk.

"What's this?" Elliot asked, spying the blood. "Rebecca, are you hurt? What happened?"

"Some guy tried to stop me getting on a bus to Wisconsin," Rebecca muttered. "I took your knife with me just in case. I stabbed him so he wouldn't kill me." Fin, Munch, Elliot and Olivia just stared at the girl, whose innocence had been so ruined in her short life.

"Self defense," Olivia said quickly. "We'll take this knife to the lab and see if there is any hit on his blood."

Elliot turned over the knife, confused. "This isn't my knife…" he said slowly.

"What?" Rebecca asked. "Yes it is, I found it in your apartment. It was under your bed."

"Rebecca, I don't own a green knife. Or a stiletto, they're illegal in the state of New York," Elliot said.

"Where did it come from then?" Olivia asked slowly.

"Someone's been in my apartment."

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"Your person failed," Carlotta hissed into the phone. "Rebecca is still walking around just fun."

"I wasn't expecting your step daughter and niece would stab one of my associates," the voice answered her.

"That was not my fault!" Carlotta yelled.

"Now the problem is both of ours," the man answered.

"Nicolai," she growled. "How do I fix this?"

"We need to make sure Rebecca is out of the picture or else you are going down for murder, and neither of us get the payoff from her father's life insurance," Nicolai answered.

"Can we use those cops who are always around her? Stabler and Benson?" Carlotta asked.

"Are they together?" Nicolai asked.

"Might as well be, all the looks they give each other," Carlotta muttered. "He would pick her over Rebecca any day."

"Then it seems," Nicolai said, "that we have a Ms. Benson to visit."


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N Sorry this took so long to get up.**

Elliot was at a loss of what to do. He'd gone through all of his children's teenage years, all the stubbornness and anger, but he'd never experienced anything quite like Rebecca's. Possibly because his teenage daughters had never been stalked by psycho killers. Thank god.

"Rebecca, say something," Elliot begged. Rebecca just stared out the apartment's window. She hadn't said a word since they got home. Well, not home. Since the bad guys had been in Elliot's apartment, there were uniforms and a crime scene unit there looking for anything. Olivia and given Elliot and Rebecca her key and said to stay there until they found something. Elliot had suggested Rebecca get some sleep, a suggestion which Rebecca answered with a withering look. Elliot picked up his vibrating phone.

"Stabler," he answered tiredly.

"Hey El, it's Liv," she said.

"Hey Liv, did they find anything?" Elliot asked, standing up straighter.

"They are still processing evidence from the Hot Dog Heaven shooting, they should get results tonight. They found hair where Rebecca said the knife was and they're running it for DNA right now."

"So in short, nothing?" Elliot asked. Olivia sighed.

"Elliot, they're doing all the can. Cragen in sending me home, I'll be there in 20 minutes.

"Ok," he sighed.

Elliot meandered through the familiar apartment. He'd been there so many times he already knew where everything was, and he knew he was more than welcome. Still, he felt like he shouldn't be there, even though Olivia told him to. Finally, he just grabbed a bottle of water and collapsed onto the couch. He mindlessly flipped through the stations, not able to find anything to settle on. He checked his watch with a start as the eleven o'clock news came on. Olivia should have been back almost an hour ago.

Elliot picked up his phone and hit speed dial one. It went straight to voicemail. Liv's voice greeted him and told him to leave a detailed message.

"Shit," Elliot said, dialing the captain. Liv never left her phone off. "Captain, it's Elliot. Something's wrong, Liv is over an hour late and her phone's off."

"Are you sure Elliot? Maybe she just got held up…"

"No, Captain, it's Liv, you know that."

"All right Elliot, do you know if she made it to the building?"

"I don't know," Elliot answered.

"All right, we'll send someone down to check the security cameras see where we go from there. I'll send some uniforms to stay with you two, also. Stay with Rebecca, her safety is priority," Cragen said.

Elliot groaned when he hung up. He turned to see Rebecca in the doorway, the sadness still full in her eyes.

"So Liv's gone?" she asked.

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"Hey Elliot, it's Fin," Elliot heard on his cell phone. "We got the license plate of the van Olivia was forced into."

"I'm leaving Rebecca here with the officers, I'm coming to help you," Elliot responded.

"She put up a hell of a fight by the way," Fin said. "There's blood on the ground, we're running that, too."

"Find her," Rebecca said when Elliot got off the phone.

"I will. You have to promise me you'll stay here and not go running off. It'll just make it harder for us to get the job done," Elliot said.

"Tell her you love her!" Rebecca yelled as Elliot went out the door. The two officers looked at her with eyebrows raised. "What?"

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"The fingerprints, blood, DNA, all of it matches," the man in the lab said.

"What do you mean it all matches?" Fin asked. He and Elliot had gone to the lab while Munch and the others kept looking for Olivia.

"The DNA, fingerprints, all the evidence from Hot Dog Heaven, the knife Rebecca used, Stabler's apartment and outside of Benson's, it all came from the same person."

"Who?" Elliot asked. "Nicolai?"

"No, Jason Sterns, an associate of his. Everything points to him," the lab guy said.

"Which points to the fact that he might be the only other guy involved in this," Fin said. "He might be the only backup Nicolai is using."

"How do we find him?" Elliot asked.

"We followed the van on traffic cams but it disappeared onto the side streets. But, we saw the logo on the side, Jefferson Enterprises. There's only one warehouse in a fifty mile radius is…" he looked up as the computer made a noise, signaling the search results. "Here, this is where they are storing the vans, it might be a good place to start the search."

Elliot and Fin were halfway out the door.

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"Are you sure you weren't followed?" Carlotta asked. Nicolai and Sterns had tied Olivia to a chair in a room in the warehouse. No lights, just a chair. The three of them had retreated father in. Nicolai had owned Jefferson Enterprises…which had gone out of business about three months previously. No one would come to the warehouse, not for a very long time.

"I'm sure, unless they have some invisible flying machines that I don't know about," Sterns said.

"No one followed us," Nicolai confirmed. Carlotta nodded.

"Good," she said. "Make the call." Nicolai pulled out his phone.

"Detective Stabler? I believe we have something that belongs to you…"


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N My muse is keeping me busy in other things, sorry. I'm beta reading now by the way if anyone is interested**.

"This had better be good," Elliot growled, answering his phone. He and Fin were almost to the car when the call came.

"Detective Stabler?" a smooth voice came across the line. "I believe we have something that belongs to you…" Elliot froze for a moment, the wheeled around and ran right back into the lab. He motioned frantically at the phone in his hand, and Fin immediately caught on. He ran ahead to tell the lab monkeys to start tracing the call.

"Nicolai? Sterns?" Elliot asked. The smooth voice laughed.

"Nicolai works, I suppose."

"So Carlotta's getting you to do her dirty work," Elliot said, trying to buy time as the lab monkeys typed away, trying to get definite fix on the call's origin.

"I have my reasons," Nicolai said loftily. "Let's keep this simply though. My associates and I are in the possession of a certain female detective I believe you are rather _fond _of." Elliot's teeth clicked and he tightened his jaw.

"Where's Olivia?"

"Olivia," Nicolai said, drawing out her name as if tasting it. "Yes, I think _Olivia_ and I will have a lovely time."

Elliot had to count to ten before he could say anything. "What do you want? Did you call just to taunt me?"

"Well of course not Detective, that would just be counterproductive," Nicolai said smoothly. "And I am not a counterproductive person."

"What do you want?" Elliot growled out.

"Why, a straight swap of course. You give us that obnoxious little loose end, you know the one, Rebecca?" Elliot's eyes narrowed. "And we will give you back the love of your life."

"She isn't the love of my life," Elliot said immediately.

"Please, Detective, no lies, not between us," Nicolai laughed.

"You know the NYPD would never do that," Elliot said.

"But you would, Mr. Rogue Angry Detective, to save, as I said, the love of your life," Nicolai said as if this was a very obvious fact.

"And how would you, Carlotta and Sterns get away? There's nowhere you could go where we couldn't find you," Elliot pointed out.

"Let me worry about the travel details," Nicolai said lazily. "But if you meet us at The Grand Theater, you know, by Rebecca's old asylum, you will get Olivia back."

"Why there?"

"Because it's a crowded place Detective, and we wouldn't want you unexpectedly shooting anyone now would we? One hour, out front, you and Rebecca alone."

"And if I don't?"

"Why, then Olivia Benson ceases to be of any use to me."

"How do I know she's still alive?" Elliot asked almost desperately. "Let me talk to her."

"No, Detective. You're just going to have to hope I'm not lying when I say she is still breathing." Elliot looked down at his phone as the line went dead. He turned to the techies.

"Tell me you know where he is."

"We do, here's the address, fifteen minute drive from here," Fin said.

They ran to the car, already calling Cragen, telling him what happened.

"The warehouse is owned by a company that went under months ago," Fin said into the phone as Elliot whipped around a corner. "Elliot and I are headed there now, we should be there soon."

"What about this meet at The Grand Theater?" Cragen's voice asked.

"There's no way it's real, they'd see Rebecca, probably shoot her, and get outta there. Wouldn't even bring Benson." Fin grabbed the oh-shit-bar as Elliot flew around another corner.

"Why bother at all?" Cragen asked. "The cat's pretty much out of the bag, we know it's Carlotta, she knows we know, why didn't she just skip town?"

"Because there's one personality flaw that won't let her," Fin said, clinging to the dashboard. "She's a vindictive bitch."

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Olivia strained to hear anything from the three people. Once their voice retreated until she could no longer hear them, she started testing out the bonds. Tight, professional.

_Great, _she thought. _Professional bad guys._

She tried to work out of the ropes but it only made them tighter. She groaned, knowing there was no way out without seriously messing up her hands and wrists. She pushed her tongue out of her lips, cringing at the bitter taste of the duct tape covering her mouth. As gross as it seemed, she started licking around it until the adhesive was loose. A few flexes of her mouth and jaw and the tape was basically off, only holding on by the sides of her cheeks. Enough that she could scream if necessary.

She heard the voices and footsteps approaching again and she froze. The door opened and she heard someone walk into her little room. The footsteps stopped and she felt the breath of someone on her face.

"_Olivia_," the man hissed. "We had a little chat with your 'partner'. We are meeting him and Rebecca in an hour to do a straight trade, your life for hers. And when I say 'we', I mean me and my Glock. So, have fun rotting here." He patted Olivia's head and walked out. Olivia groaned, still trying to work on her bonds.

_Son of a bitch!_

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Elliot and Fin sped into the parking lot of the broken down warehouse.

"Where the hell's the backup?" Elliot asked they jumped out of the car.

"Still ten minutes away," Fin answered.

"Not good enough," Elliot said. He took off in a run toward the warehouse.

"Crazy bastard," Fin muttered under his breath, running after him. They were ten yards from, the warehouse when automatic gunfire burst around them. They cursed and ducked for cover behind one of the vans.

"Now what, alter boy?" Fin yelled over the gunfire.

**Thank you reviewers! **

**kcbienaime**

**ReadingRed**

**FirestarXSandstorm**

**Sara Hudson**

**svusvu**

**agent1332**

**Duh Ko Tuh**


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N This one is a little shorter than normal, sorry!**

Elliot was saved from having to answer by sirens behind them. The gunfire stopped suddenly, and they could barely make out a black clad figure dashing away from the window. Fin and Elliot flashed their badges to the officers, identifying themselves. SWAT was only a few seconds behind.

"We're going in first, Detectives, you can join us when it's clear," the SWAT commander said.

"No way, it's our Detective in there, we're going in," Elliot countered.

"That's not how it works, we go in and we will tell you when you can enter," the commander said. Fin could hear Elliot grind his teeth and he pulled the other man back.

"Just let us know when we can go in," Fin said. He and Elliot waited impatiently as SWAT entered. They took the lack of gunfire in the first five minutes to be a good thing. They sighed as the team exited.

"There's no one in there. Whoever was firing at you in gone. There's evidence someone was held in one of the rooms, but they're not there."

"Olivia isn't there?" Elliot asked, his voice raising an octave.

"I'm sorry."

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"Your people are getting annoying!" Sterns yelled as he hit Olivia across the face. She said nothing, just winced.

"What will their next move be?" he asked, hitting her again.

"Nothing," Olivia said.

"What?" Sterns asked.

"They won't do anything. They won't negotiate, they won't hurt Rebecca," Olivia said, raising her chin in defiance. Sterns yelled angrily and started beating every inch of Olivia he could reach.

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Rebecca paced around the squad room, anxiously wringing her hands.

"Rebecca," Munch tried.

"No," she said.

"Rebecca, this isn't-"

"No."

Munch sighed and went back to working, glancing at Rebecca every few seconds. His phone rang and Rebecca appeared next to him, eyes hide.

"Munch," he answered. He sighed. "Yeah. Damn. All right. Yeah she's here." He handed the phone to Rebecca. "Here, it's Elliot."

"Hello? What happened? Where's Olivia?"

"She's gone," Elliot said.

"Gone?!" Rebecca squeaked. "Like dead and gone?"

"No, no," Elliot said, trying to calm her. "No, but she isn't where we thought."

"So what now?" Rebecca asked. Elliot sighed over the line.

"I'm not sure."

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Olivia regained consciousness and immediately felt the bruises all over her body. She was grateful that Sterns obviously didn't have any government training. If his hits were any stronger or a bit more accurate, she'd have broken ribs. She hissed in a breath when she moved. On second thought, maybe she did have broken ribs.

When Nicolai talked to Elliot, he didn't believe that Elliot would just bring Rebecca. He moved Olivia on the hunch that Elliot might trace the call. Olivia had glared. She's hated smart bad guys.

Luckily, they weren't as intelligent as they thought. Nicolai had let Carlotta tie up Olivia the second time and she wasn't nearly as skilled as Nicolai. The bonds were loose. With a pained expression, Olivia slowly began to work her hands free.

**A/N Thank you reviewers! ReadingRed, NickJluvr329, edge15684, kcbienaime, and agent1332!**


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N Sorry it's been so long. Reality took over and just Spartan-kicked me in the face.**

Elliot sat at his desk, starting at his computer. He was out of leads. Nothing was going anywhere and he had no idea where Olivia was. Rebecca was up asleep in the cribs, Munch and Fin were at their desks and the Captain was in his office, trying very hard not to fall off the wagon.

Elliot groaned, standing up. Fin and Munch eyed him warily as he made the climb to check on Rebecca. He pushed the door open slightly to look at her sleeping form. To his surprise, she was at the window, staring out at the dark street.

"You have to tell her, you know," Rebecca said without turning around.

"What?" Elliot asked, startled.

"When she gets back," Rebecca said, clarifying. "You have to tell her you love her. If you don't you'll just push it to the backburner until something like this happens again. Then you'll be a wreck like you are now, it'll resolve itself, and you two will go back to keeping the careful distance from each other."

Elliot said nothing, shocked by his foster daughter's observations.

"But you know," Rebecca said, turning around. "It might not happen again. What if the next time something happens, it's permanent? What if you never see each other again, and you know you never told her?"

Elliot gaped like a fish. Rebecca brushed past him, making a beeline for the coffee.

"Just a thought."

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Olivia froze as she heard clanging outsider her door. She slumped in her chair, feigning unconsciousness. She heard two pairs of feet walk in. Someone grabbed her chin and moved it from side to side, checking the bruises that were already forming.

"Did you do any permanent damage?" Nicolai's voice asked. Someone snorted.

"She's fine. She's a woman, probably just passed out from the pain," Sterns said. Nicolai clucked his tongue.

"Do not underestimate the strength of the female mind, body and spirit."

"You're a feminist?" Sterns said, shocked.

"No, you uneducated child," Nicolai snapped. "Have you ever seen the determination of a woman? 'Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned'? Really?" Sterns said nothing. Nicolai smirked.

"This is a bad plan," Sterns said. "I might be underestimating the chickadee, but you're underestimating this Stabler. If he loves them both, he won't choose. He's going to go to huge lengths to protect them both, and probably kill us in the process."

"That, my dear, is why we will leave. You are underestimating _me._"

Olivia sighed in relief as they left. She continued to work at the bonds around her wrists, holding her breath as they loosened. She almost screamed in success and the ropes fell to the ground. Olivia yanked her arms up and pulled the blindfold off.

She stood up quickly, almost knocking over the chair. She grabbed it before it could topple over. She grimaced, moving past the chair. Olivia stuck her ear next to the door, listening for any noise. She heard nothing, so she slowly opened the door. Sterns and Nicolai and just swept out of the door, leaving Carlotta alone at a small card table.

Olivia took a deep breath, wincing as her possibly broken ribs shot pain through her. Her body ached all over, but that was slowly fading as the adrenaline coursed through her body. She braced herself and ran out. She wasn't thinking like a cop, she was thinking as an angry woman, who only wanted to get back to the man she loved.

Olivia rushed out, dashing toward the opposite door. Carlotta leaped to her feet.

"Hey!" she yelled, running to Olivia. Olivia didn't even break her stride. She threw herself into a punch, breaking Carlotta's nose. Carlotta screamed, falling to the floor with blood squirting out from her face. Olivia ran flying through the door. She heard Sterns and Nicolai running somewhere up above her and she put on a burst of speed.

She made it out the door, which led outside to the garden. She found herself in a small house right in the suburbs. She ran into the street, seeing a car down the road. She ran to the lights and banged on the window.

"Can I help you?" the old man asked, rolling down the window slightly. He took in her bloody appearance warily. "Are you all right, Miss?"

"Sir, please, take me to the nearest police station!" she yelled, sending a panicked look behind her. The old man saw Nicolai and sterns burst out of the house fifty yards away.

"Well get in my dear!"

**Thanks reviewers, kcbienamie, beb 100000, amieewllms1, edge15684, livanelforever, , vampire865, readingred and svusvu!**


	10. Chapter 10

**A/N Sorry it's been so long. Real life and all. I'm working on getting more on top of this, I swear.**

Olivia staggered into the unfamiliar precinct, the elderly man hobbling behind her.

"Officers!" the man yelled. "Officers we need your help!" Two nearby men in uniforms jumped over and grabbed for Olivia. She jerked back from them.

"Her name is Olivia," the old man said. "She said she's a SUV…SV…SVU! SVU detective from New York!"

"Is that true, Miss?" one of the officers asked. Olivia nodded, and leaned onto the desk.

"Kidnapped…Elliot…I can't…" Olivia fell sideways and collapsed, blood flowing freely from her side.

* * *

Elliot furiously paced around the squad room. Nothing. He had nothing. He was considering throwing himself out the nearest window, when Fin leaped up.

"Elliot! I got a call from an officer in Jersey!" he yelled. Elliot was next to Fin's desk in a second and a half. Rebecca appeared from nowhere and was over his shoulder.

"What?" they both asked.

"They have an officer with a New York shield driven in to them by a 76 year old man. Said she was an SVU detective before she passed out and was taken to the hospital. Her name is Olivia."

"What hospital? We're going, CAPTAIN! We're going!"

* * *

Olivia groaned, waking up slowly. Her ribs ached and she could feel the bandage wrapped around her head. Sitting up, she took a mental inventory of her body .She felt like hell, but she could move. She stood, searching around the room for her clothes. Next to the door was the pile of dirty and muddy clothes. She wrinkled her nose but pulled on the pants quickly. She was down to her bra when the door burst open.

"Olivia!" he yelled. She jumped and before she could protest, Elliot pulled her into his arms. He murmured something over and over into her ear, but she couldn't make out the words.

"Uhm, El…" she muttered, shifting uncomfortably. He just squeezed her tighter. She patted his back awkwardly. He finally seemed to realize that he was touching bare skin and pulled away, turning bright red. Olivia quickly yanked her shirt over her head.

"Wait, what are you doing?" he asked, outraged. "Get back in bed!"

"Knock it off, El," Olivia said, brushing off Elliot's over-protectiveness. He glared, trying to pull her back to bed. She whacked him on the arm. "No."

"Liv."

"No."

"Olivia Benson…"

"NO." Olivia turned, hands on her hips. The motion caused her to wince at her cracked ribs. "Look, until we get them, nothing is going to change. I'll just sit here the entire time, nothing will get better and I'll just be sitting on my ass being useless. No." Elliot sighed.

"I am not taking the heat for this when Cragen finds out," Elliot said, opening the door for her. He knew better than to argue.

"No one asked you to."

They were back to the precinct in record time. Cragen was flying out his office door, face purple with rage.

"What the hell do you think you're doing, you left against medical advice?" he thundered, coming to rest inches from her. Olivia just stared up at him, unblinking.

"Where are we?" she said, turning around to talk to the detectives gathered around.

"Don't ignore me!" Cragen hollered. Olivia turned.

"Please, Captain, nothing will be gained by me sitting in a hospital bed. I'll stay here, I'll do desk work, please just don't send me back," she asked. Cragen looked at her. He knew from the set of her shoulders and the determination in her eyes and knew she wasn't going to let this go. He sighed.

"Olivia…fine. Elliot, keep an eye on her," he demanded. "Fill her in."

"Basically," Fin said, standing next to her, "Nicolai and Sterns went in with Carlotta to kill her husband for the insurance money, or so we think…"

"I know," Olivia said. "I heard them talking. Nicolai and Sterns are bailing."

"Carlotta?"

"I have no idea. I broke her nose," Olivia said, shrugging. Elliot grinned. "The New Jersey precinct already searched where I was kept, they're gone."

"Olivia?!"

Olivia looked up in time to see Rebecca pelting down the stairs. She winced as the small girl crashed into her, hugging her as tightly as possibly.

"What happened?" Rebecca asked, breathless.

"Nicolai and Sterns are running for it. Carlotta is out of options," Olivia said, smoothing her hand over Rebecca's hair. "It's just a matter of time before we run her down."

"We will get her, I promise," Elliot promised. He stood behind Rebecca and put a hand on her back, and stared at Olivia over the girl's head, making sure his promise was directed at them both.

**Thank you reviewers, Singingchick18, DegrassiRoxzMiSoxz88, BBxEOlover, livanelforever, , svusvu, kcbienaime, edge15684, and vampire865, I'm sorry it took so long, I promise it will be less time!**


	11. Chapter 11

**A/N Here's a new chapter. See, it took less time than last time!**

Two days later there was still no sign of Carlotta. All airports, buses and train stations were being watched, but so far, nothing. Elliot had browbeaten Olivia into staying with him and Rebecca. Truthfully, it hadn't taken much for him to convince her. Rebecca was initially overjoyed to have Olivia back. They had a big dinner, talked, hugged, and watched a movie with Elliot on his couch.

After the initial show of happiness, Rebecca became more withdrawn than ever, becoming prone to spending hours alone in her room. Elliot and Olivia managed to work out a schedule with Cragen so that Rebecca was never alone. They were both more than a little afraid that if they let their guard down, Rebecca would bolt again.

Since Rebecca had Elliot's spare room, he tried to force Olivia to have his bed while he took the couch. She nearly kicked him in the teeth when he asked. He had surrendered quickly and showed her how to use the hide-a-bed.

Olivia and Elliot were sitting in his kitchen late on the night of the third day after Carlotta disappeared off the grid. Olivia had just gotten in from work, she and Elliot were having a beer before heading to bed.

"Is Rebecca asleep?" Olivia asked. Elliot nodded.

"For a couple hours, yeah," he answered.

"Good," Olivia said. "I was talking to Huang today...I think we should ask him to talk to Rebecca."

"You want Rebecca to get therapy?" Elliot asked slowly.

"El, whatever we're doing now, it isn't working. It's a miracle she's made it this far in life without one. Dead mother, murdered father, now psychos after her," Olivia said, counting off her points on her fingers. "We can't keep this up. We can't help her, it's not our thing."

"Our 'thing' _is _helping people, Liv," Elliot reminded her softly.

"I know," she answered. "I know. I just don't think our particular brand of help is what she needs right now."

Elliot sighed, slumping slightly next to her. "I know. I just…I don't know what to do."

That night, a few hours after Olivia had pulled out the hide a bed and bunkered down for the night, Rebecca was being assaulted by her nightmares.

_She walked down the hallway of Elliot's apartment and froze before the living room. There, in the opposite wall was a dot. She moved closer, confused. That hadn't been there before. Then the dot began to move… a bug? She stepped closer and the dot began to seep down the wall. She screamed and jumped back._

_Suddenly, the walls were all bleeding. Rivers of red ran down the cool blue surface, like thousands of bullet holes. She shrieked and back up until she slammed into the wall behind her. Her shirt clung to her back as she realized that wall was bleeding, too. It was everywhere, raining down from the ceiling, covering her from head to toe. Choking, drowning…_

Rebecca woke up with a start, gasping for hair. She swallowed the urge to cry, refusing to give the dreams the satisfaction. She shook herself mentally and stood, starting the trek to the kitchen to get a glass of water. She did this every night and Elliot and Olivia never knew. She didn't want them to know. There was no real reason why, she just…didn't.

She silently moved past Olivia's sleeping form on her way to the kitchen, but stopped, staring at her. She sat, staring for a few minutes, before making her decision. She slowly made her way over and sat on the edge of Olivia's pulled out bed. Olivia groaned and opened her eyes slightly.

"Becca?" she asked, groggily. "Are you ok?"

"Yeah," Rebecca answered quickly. "Well, no, not really."

"What's wrong, sweetie?" Olivia asked, sitting up.

"I really don't want to talk about it right now," Rebecca said, staring at her hands. "You don't need any new nightmares. But uhm, is it ok if I sleep out here with you tonight?" She asked the last half of that question in a rush, as if afraid Olivia might actually say no. Olivia smiled and moved over, patting the space next to her.

"Hop on in."

A few hours later, Elliot woke up, unable to sleep from his own nightmares. These always seemed to include a dead Olivia and, lately, dead Rebecca. He peeked in her room to check on her, and nearly stopped breathing when he saw she wasn't there. Elliot raced down the hall to the living room, searching every room as he went. As soon as he hit the living room, he saw Olivia's head pop out from behind the back of couch. He rounded it to see Rebecca in the middle of the pull-out bed, Olivia on the left.

"El, what?" she whispered.

"I was looking for Becca…" he said softly.

"She just got to sleep," Olivia whispered back. Rebecca groaned and rolled over, seeing Elliot there.

"Hey," she said sleepily.

"Hey, Becca, sorry to wake you up, I was just worried when I didn't see you in your room," he explained. He sat down on her right and looked over her head to look at Olivia, lying on the opposite side of Rebecca.

"It's ok," she muttered. Elliot reached over and ran a hand through her hair, trying to sooth her back to sleep. She reached up and grabbed his hand. "Don't go yet?"

Elliot was shocked at the vulnerability that she was finally showing, but nodded. "I'm not going anywhere." She nodded and scooted back down and rolled herself in the blankets. Elliot propped himself up next to her, back against the back of the couch. Olivia was lying on her side and they exchanged a glance over Rebecca's head. They were both daring to hope that Rebecca was opening back up.

An hour later, Olivia had fallen asleep. Rebecca had wormed her way down until her head was below shoulder level with Olivia, and she was so tangled in blanket that you could only see wisps of her hair emerging. Elliot had sunk down, arm unconsciously snaking above Rebecca's head until his fingers were resting on Olivia's neck. It was the best night's rest that the three had had in a long time.

**A/N I know this was short, next chapter will be longer, I promise! Thanks for the support, kcbienaime, ana clara passos, and !**


	12. Chapter 12

**A/N So this has taken a RIDICULOUSLY long time, and I'm very sorry about. Life, and hospitals, get in the way.**

**Thank you patient readers, and reviewers, Lauren Puddingcupsandlolipops, Regina Falangy, OliviaStabler4eva, Prairie24, sportscenter, Timeforachange, , MrsSnape2u, and KCBienaime.**

Huang had agreed to see Rebecca, honored that Elliot and Olivia would trust him with someone they both loved so much. In a month, they'd made significant progress. Rebecca was no longer terrified of being outside, or in crowds. She was still uncomfortable being alone for long periods of time, but it was bearable instead of terrifying. One huge problem that remained for all of them was the fact that Carlotta was still eluding capture. Sterns and Nicolai had both disappeared, it was assumed they'd managed to flee the country.

"But Carlotta's more high profile," Munch pointed out. "It would be a lot harder for her to leave the country."

"She's been put on every watch list we have, border patrol is on the lookout, every police force, I think it's safe to say she's somewhere close," Elliot said.

"Why?" Fin asked, sitting on the corner of his desk. "How do you know she's not just running somewhere else, like Oregon?"

"That's not how someone like Carlotta operates," Huang said, walking in. "She's arrogant, she feels she's untouchable, like she's better than everyone else. She'll stay close, she feels like she deserves it."

"Will she go after Rebecca again?" Olivia asked.

"It's hard to say," Huang sighed. "This being a continuing problem for her has bruised Carlotta's ego. She might do anything to get that back."

"I think you're right," Cragen said, walking in. "I just got a call from the FBI. They have Carlotta Daniels in custody."

"What? For what?" Elliot asked.

"She turned herself in."

"What?" Olivia asked.

"Oh no…" Huang said, realization dawning.

"What?" Fin asked.

"Carlotta cut a deal. She's turning over information about Nicolai and Sterns in exchange for immunity from prosecution," Cragen told them, grim faced.

"This is our case!" Olivia yelled, standing up and jabbing her finger in her own chest for emphasis. "They can't make deals on it!"

"Nicolai is a known international assassin and gun for fire, and Sterns is well on his way. They are more concerned with prosecuting them than in Carlotta," Cragen sighed.

"This is exactly what she would do, get her control back," Huang agreed. They sat in silence for a few minutes, unsure of what to do next.

"So there's nothing…" Olivia said quietly.

"We'll get her. We'll get her for something," Elliot promised.

"We have nothing," Fin said.

"Thanks, that's helpful," Elliot snapped.

"Unclench, altar boy," Fin said right back.

"Knock it off!" Cragen ordered.

"The murder!" Munch said.

"What?"

"The murder! Rebecca's father's murder. That's the only thing we'd be able to tie Carlotta to. And if she testifies that she hired Sterns and Nicolai to help her kidnap you, that will be able to be shown in court," Munch said.

"We need to get another warrant to get into Carlotta's house," Olivia said.

"Shouldn't be a problem."

Later that night, Elliot and Olivia sat in the kitchen. Rebecca and long since fallen asleep. Since she started talking to Huang, her sleeping patterns had drastically improved. A fact that Elliot and Olivia loved. It had been over a week since Olivia had left the hospital, but she'd made no indication of heading home, and Elliot had not pushed her to leave in any way.

"We have to tell her," Olivia said, resting her chin on her hand.

"I know," Elliot agreed, pinching the bridge of his nose. "I just don't want to do anything that would hurt her more."

"The not knowing is killing her too," Olivia pointed out.

"We have tomorrow off, we'll tell her then," Elliot promised. Groaning, Olivia put her head on the tiled counter. Elliot reached over and put his hand on her head, and played gently with her hair.

The next morning, Olivia and Elliot met with the FBI agent in charge of the case against Nicolai and Sterns.

"Peace offering?" Agent Desmond asked, quirking an eyebrow at the file Elliot handed him.

"Sure," Elliot answered. "We knew you'd ask for it sooner or later, we made it sooner."

"Well, thank you Detectives," Desmond answered. He reclined in his chair, looking at the two detectives in front of him. "I won't withdraw immunity from Ms. Daniels."

"We aren't asking you to," Olivia assured him. "All we want is to be kept in the loop. We don't want jurisdiction, we aren't going to fight the charges. We just want to know what's happening." The confusion on Desmond's face turned to wariness and he laced his fingers together, leaning forward.

"Why exactly is that?"

"It can't be enough that we're just following up on a case?"

"No, what is it?"

Olivia sighed and leaned forward. "Rebecca is Ms. Daniels niece…and stepdaughter."

"The girl she hired Nicolai and Sterns to kidnap," Desmond nodded.

"And to kill her," Olivia said. Desmond paused.

"Yes, to kill her," Desmond conceded quietly.

"We just want to know what happens, so we can do what we can to keep her safe."

"Okay," Desmond agreed. "We'll probably end up needing you to testify at the trial anyways."

Olivia groaned. "I hope you know we'll be very…disparaging about this trial."

"I would expect nothing less."

In another part of the building, Huang was sitting with Rebecca.

"This is overwhelming," she told him.

"The whole situation?" he asked her.

"The Carlotta getting immunity thing," she answered.

"Elliot and Olivia told you?"

"Yeah. So…what now?"

Huang sighed and looked at her for a moment before answering. "I'm not sure. They're going to look into your father's murder."

"I know," Rebecca answered. "Will that change anything?"

"Of course it will," Huang said, leaning over. "Elliot and Olivia are very, very good at their job. If there is anything that can be done, they'll do it."

After dropping Rebecca back off at Elliot's apartment, he and Olivia went to follow up with the original investigator from Rebecca's dad's "suicide".

"I'm detective Stabler this is my partner Detective Benson. We'd like to talk to you about an old case, the death of Jared Reynolds," Elliot said, sitting next to Detective Ryans.

"Right, the crazy girl who thinks her stepmother killed her father," Ryans said, nodding. "What about it? Is the girl out of the mental ward yet?"

"Watch what you say about that crazy girl," Elliot growled out.

"Unfortunately for you," Olivia said, cutting Elliot and his anger off, "that crazy girl was right. Carlotta killed her husband for the insurance money."

"And locked Rebecca up to keep her quiet. She really did see Carlotta kill her father," Elliot nearly snarled.

"You're, you're kidding right?" Ryans stuttered. "But, everything pointed to suicide?"

"Well you were wrong. We need to see the original file, everything. M.E. reports, witness statements, everything," Elliot said.

"I..sure," Ryans stuttered and reached into his filing cabinet. "I..I thought it was suicide."

"Well you were wrong," Elliot snapped. He and Olivia walked out of the stuttering detective's precinct and made their way to the car.

"Where to?" Olivia asked.

"Warner first. We have to see if there's anything in this report that will prove murder instead of suicide," Elliot said.

"Let's go."

Warner looked over the file, frowning every few minutes. After five minutes, Elliot had taken to pacing around the empty autopsy table, while Olivia meandered around the far wall.

"Okay," Warner said finally. "I don't know who Dr. Simmons is, but he should have his license revoked."

"Why?" Elliot asked, instantly reading over her shoulder.

"See this? This is a sedative, and this Dr. Simmons wrote it off as recreational use, an indicator of suicidal tendencies," Warner said, indicating information on the tox screen.

"Why is that relevant?" Olivia asked.

"Because with the levels that were in his system, there is no way this was recreational use," Warner told them. "There was no way he took this himself."

"So what you're saying is that this tells us that someone drugged him before stabbing him?" Elliot confirmed.

"Probably why there was no sign of a struggle, he was too sedated to move," Warner nodded.

"Is this enough to say definitively that he was murdered?" Elliot asked. Warner shook her head.

"But it's enough for you two to get an exhumation order. I need to see Jared Reynolds' body."


	13. Chapter 13

**A/N Sorry it took so long, the final chapter is always hard to write.**

Elliot, Olivia, and Rebecca sat in the court room, listening to Carlotta tell the court everything she knew about Nicolai and Sterns. When she was asked why she hired them to help her kill her step daughter and niece, she told them that she had been stricken with jealousy of the girl. The judge, finally satisfied with the evidence, announced court was done for the day, and everyone began to file out of the court room. Elliot and Olivia stood and each grabbed one of Carlotta's arms.

"What are you doing?" she hissed, jerking against them. "I pled for immunity, you can't arrest me!"

"You have immunity from the attempted murder of Rebecca," Elliot agreed. "But not for the murder of your late husband." Carlotta paled.

"And trust me, with what we have on you, it's going to stick," Olivia hissed. They dragged the sputtering Carlotta out, sputtering. Rebecca trailed behind, grim smile in place.

Elliot, Olivia and Rebecca went out for dinner that night, as a celebration. Carlotta would be indicted the next morning. When Rebecca took a trip to the bathroom, Elliot leaned over to Olivia.

"I wanted to run something by you before Rebecca comes back."

"Okay," Olivia said curiously, folding her napkin and putting it in her lap.

"I love you," he said, not pausing for her to say anything. Olivia's jaw dropped. "Want to spend as much time as possible with you, and I know Rebecca feels the same. Move in with us."

"I-what?" Olivia asked. Her astonished eyebrows were nearly at her hairline. "El…"

"I love you."

"I love you, too," Olivia said. It was incredibly freeing to finally be able to say that. "More than I can describe. But Elliot, with work…"

"We'll figure it out."

"Elliot, even if we were together…"

"We can be. I want you Olivia Benson. I want to wake up with you every day. Nothing could ever make me happier. Please Olivia, come live with me." Olivia bit her lip nervously before coming to a decision.

"Okay," she said quickly.

"Okay?"

"Okay!"

A ridiculously huge smile consumed Elliot's face, and he reached forward, capturing Olivia's lips with his. He poured every passionate feeling, every moment of forbidden desire into that kiss. They were still locked together when Rebecca came back and took her seat.

"Oh la la," she said. The two broke free. "What are we doing, hm?"

"Well," Elliot said, slowly. "I wanted to run an idea by you actually."

"Go for it.""

"What would you say to Olivia moving in with us?"

A grin slowly spread over Rebecca's face. "That is so okay with me.

Awhile later…

She's never been to a cemetery before. Carlotta had had her declared insane before her father's funeral, so she hadn't been able to come. Staring at the headstone, she felt a sense of relief. If she'd had to deal with this in a crowded funeral, she probably wouldn't have made it.

She set the bouquet of wildflowers down on his headstone, which read 'Jared Reynolds, Loving Husband and Father'. Elliot and Olivia looked on from the path, giving her the space she needed.

"I'm not sure how to do this," Rebecca admitted at last. "I was too young when Mom died, and she was cremated so, no cemetery." She looked up at the cloudy sky. "You always did like overcast days. Said we were lucky, and that it was the people in warm weather states who suffered. Without the bad weather, we'd never really appreciate the sunny days when they came around. If it was sunny everyday we'd take it for granted.

"Well, I've had some bad weather lately. For awhile, I thought about giving up. All that happened to me was one bad thing after another. But I knew if you saw me marching into the afterlife with you this early, you'd kick my ass so hard…" Rebecca sniffed, the first hint of tears threatening to spill over. "But I miss you so much, everyday. I was so sad for so long, and so scared. I want you to know I'm doing better now. I'm happier. I'm with Elliot and Olivia, you'd like them, they're cops. I'm safe and happy."

Rebecca squared her shoulders and raised her chin. "I got Carlotta, Dad. Elliot and Olivia put her away for what she did to you. She'll never be a problem again. I love you Dad, so so much." Rebecca stood in silence for a few minutes before walking to where Elliot and Olivia stood.

"Feel better?" Olivia asked, wrapping an arm around her shoulders. Elliot did the same from the other side.

"Yeah, actually. It's not the way I wanted it, but I got to say goodbye."

The trio walked back to the car, wrapped around each other against the wind. All of them were acutely aware and excited for the start of this new family.

**A/N That's the end folks! I hope you enjoyed it.**


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